Man, creating that music blog -yes I am plugging A Week at the Most - has really inspired me to write more so I figured I would also jump on here and write a few words before heading out to see the film The Strangers with some friends. I stumbled upon an extremely well written blog entitled and The House Next Door just had to eleborate. The person who writes the page was fortuate enough to make it to Cannes this year and brought me great news that I was hoping for and one bit of news I refuse to believe.

For starts he claims that Woody Allen's latest Vicky Cristina Barcelona is his return to form and very well maybe his closest to the director's masterpiece Annie Hall (one of my personal favorite films...ironically I am not a big Woody Allen fan at all). In case you are wondering, the film stars Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, and Scarlett Johansson. Second, he also proclaims that Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut Synecdoche, New York is a complete mindfuck and a total masterwork. Great news to hear figuring I am extremely excited for both films and each are on my must see of the year list.

Unfortunately another film on the list is Blindless, the new film by Brazillian director Fernando Meirelles and he states that the film is an utter disappointment. I just can't take his word for it. I really can't. He does call City of God and The Constant Gardener visually appealing but ultimately shallow films and I believe the exact opposite towards those films so maybe there still is some hope.

Just wanted to let everyone know that I just started a music blog over at A Week at the Most and I would love for everyone to read it when they could. Right now there is really nothing there just a few welcome words from yours truly but check back soon and I am sure I will have some enjoyable stuff on their to read.

Wow! I want this poster so bad. Last year it was announced that both Korea and Japan would take a stab at the spaghetti western. Early this year I was able to obtain a copy of Japan's try by none other than my man Takashi Miike. Entitled Sukiyaki Western Django, the film was a honest yet campy homage to the works of such legends as Sergio Leone, Sergio Corbucci, and even American filmmaker Sam Peckinpah. But The Good, The Bad, The Weird, the latest from Kim Jee-Woon (the director of the amazing A Bittersweet Life) may very well score 1 for Korea. Not only is the poster jaw-droppingly bad ass but the trailer is a beauty. Please do yourself a favor and click here.

Just days after the news broke of a date for There Will Be Blood on Blu-Ray, comes even more exciting news from the almighty Criterion Collection.

We've got some exciting news for this fall, and we wanted you to hear it first. Our first Blu-ray discs are coming! We've picked a little over a dozen titles from the collection for Blu-ray treatment, and we’ll begin rolling them out in October. These new editions will feature glorious high-definition picture and sound, all the supplemental content of the DVD releases, and they will be priced to match our standard-def editions.

Here’s what’s in the pipeline:

The Third Man

Bottle Rocket

Chungking Express

The Man Who Fell to Earth

The Last Emperor

El Norte

The 400 Blows

Gimme Shelter

The Complete Monterey Pop

Contempt

Walkabout

For All Mankind

The Wages of Fear

Holy Shit. Fantastic news to say the least. Hell, I didn't even know Criterion has the dvd rights to Chungking Express (unless this release will strictly be Blu-Ray). Of course Bottle Rocket is exciting too but man am I most excited for Contempt. See this film in glorious high definition will be simply jaw dropping. Matter of fact nearly every title on this list is promising. Can not wait!

I'll be back in a day or two with a review of XXY courtesy of Film Movement.

Well its about bloody time!

That's right my friends. There Will Be Blood on Blu-ray. I know it's what we all been waiting for. I know I sure has hell been. And to boot, the cover is so much better than the two dvd ones. A real post will follow in a day or two. promise. I know I know. It has been over a month again. Be back in a few.

18 days. There is no excuse really. Except as always I have been busy. But still no excuse. So the Cleveland International Film Festival has been over for the last two weeks now and over all it was a good time. One dud out of the bunch is not so bad, right.

Here's a breakdown, my friends, this time I by order of goodness.

Ben XI found this film to be fantastic. Highly original and probably a film that will survive til my Best of 2008 list. I was actually quite honestly blown away by this film. It kind hit me from left field.

Gone With the WomanThis thing is a charmer. Definitely my bonafide sleeper from the fest. I love the lead, who started in last year's CIFF film The Bothersome Man and lets face it I am a sucker for romantic comedies especially something this quirky.

Big Man JapanTalk about a smart and original film. I think this film and its oddness (in both the humor and subtle stabs at social commentary) will set people off a bit which is rather unfortunate. A admiration for what the film is a satire of is also welcome to truly 'get' the film (i.e Japanese popular culture ala Ultraman, Godzilla, etc).

JellyfishAs I stated two weeks ago, I really enjoyed this flick. Nuff said.

The TrapI found this thriller to be totally intriguing from start to finish. Others didn't. Their loss.

OtisI completely over the top cheeseball horror comedy which I must say I thoroughly enjoyed.

Mongol I am not a historical epic person but I really enjoyed this flick. Actor Tadanobu Asano definitely helped with my acceptance of the film.

FlashpointEntertaining martial arts film which is completely savored by the last half hour.

Art of Negative Thinking

Really didn't get this one I guess. Overhyped by the majority of the attendees I found the film to be more awkward than funny. Maybe I didn't get it. Oh Well.

So overall. I great time was had. I also caught Love Songs recently (which screened at the festival but unfortunately was missed due to the snowstorm) . But more on that on my next post and of course lots lots more. Trust me this time. it won't be 18 days from now.

Caught two films from the Cleveland Film Festival thus far - Jar City and Jellyfish. Good choices I may add. Both films embody enough originality and creativity to charm any film festival goer. Jellyfish arrives nicely packaged as a drama with touches of humor and a shade or two of Amelie while Jar City was a fascinating crime thriller brilliantly adapted from an equally intriguing novel. America get fluff like Kiss the Girls and Along Came the Spider while Iceland brings home brilliant adaptations like Jar City. Both films are highly recommended.

I have been a lousy film festival attendee this year but plan on making that up a bit with the second stretch. Thursday brings Art of Negative Thinking, Big Man Japan (known in Japan as Dai Nipponjin), and Trap. On Friday, I plan on catching Gone with the Woman, Otis, and possibly Bliss and The Substitute (I know 4 films in one day might be pushing it). Nate and I are hanging out with our good friend Mike Laymon on Saturday so I am taking a breather before returning on Sunday with three final films - Ben X, Mongol, and Flashpoint. Should be a nice closing to the festival and the sad end to my 9 days off of work.

Another bites the dust. I decided to not make my way to Cleveland today most importantly to save on gas money, which is currently at $3.29 a gallon. I know I shouldn't bitch cause I am sure in California it is clockin' in near 4 bucks. Jar City is available from I believe a Icelandic release which I am currently getting my hands on while Love Songs pops up on IFC on Demand on March 19th which I already had my brother set his DVR to record. As far as Jellyfish goes, it is playing tomorrow so I have instead moved my first day to the festival to Monday. This also free up my Sunday to go to the birthday party of my favorite nephew, Isaac. Happy Birthday, bud!

It seems that the festival has added Paranoid Park to its line up. That's exciting. Too bad it conflicts with my viewing of Mongol on the last day of the fest because I would have really liked to catch it on the big screen. Who knows maybe we will book it at the Canton Palace.

I guess there was some mighty fine films I missed out on from last year. Just got done watching Michael Clayton and found it to be utterly fantastic. George Clooney and Tom Wilkinson were absolutely perfect in the film. I still did not believe Tilda Swinton should have taken home the Oscar (Chiaki would, however, argue that) though she was pretty damn good in it too. I just quite simply have a problem with the Academy awarding a performance which could have not been over 10 or so minutes of the 2 hour film.

Speaking of missing out, the disaster snow of Ohio (we got close to 16 inches...no joke) caused me to miss the first day of the film festival. I missed Flight of the Red Balloon (which I luckily can catch on IFC on Demand in the coming months), What We Do is Secret and Timecrimes. It hurts the most to miss Timecrimes, which was one of my most anticipated films of the festival. Maybe I can swing a deal with Magnolia Pictures, the film's US distributor, and get my hands on a copy in the not so distant future. Sunday brings Jar City, Love Songs, and Jellyfish and probably is the day of the festival I am most excited about. Hopefully the damn snow stops and I can get the ball rolling. As with the last few years expect a report back on the films I caught each day.

So I am sitting down today viewing some flicks (I am pretty much snowed in for the day) and begin to watch Into the Wild. Pretty good flick. It wouldn't necessary make my Top 10 from last year but it was a pretty powerful film nonetheless. Definitely worth a rental. I almost bought the HD DVD and now I am glad I didn't. Not that it would be a bad thing, its just like what my buddy Nate and I was discussing a few days ago. When I asked him if he thinks I should pick it up he replied it could be the best film in the world but would you watch it again. And that's just it. I don't see myself sitting down and watching Into the Wild for a second time. Overall though it is mos def a film everyone should watch at least once. I also plopped in my 3:10 to Yuma Blu-ray to watch the special features alittle bit and I realized I had forgotten to mention something about the film the first time I spoke of it. Three words actually Peter f'n Fonda. I have always been a Peter Fonda fan and it was just great to see him back in a western again. What a trip. The man is a legend.

So I read the most delicious news a few minutes ago. Rialto Pictures is reviving Godard's Contempt in a nice new restored 35mm print. I am in heaven. John Ewing if your out there I expect this to appear in the May-June Cleveland Cinematheque schedule. Between March 14th and the 27th the great Film Forum in New York will be playing it. I am so jealous. Maybe I should make a trek to New York early this year. I wonder if I can pull some strings and get this baby in the Canton Palace Theatre in the new month or two. For the silly folks that don't know, I will fill you in. Not only is Jean-Luc Godard one of my favorite directors of all time, but Contempt is one of my favorite films. So you can understand my excitement to see this thing on the big screen.

I could write a novel on how brilliant IFC Films is at the moment. I love them to death. First and foremost their film choices are fantastic. I thought last year was insane but this year seems to be even better. Example - Love Songs. The Last Mistress. Paranoid Park. Jar City. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days. Flight of the Red Balloon. Mister Lonely. Three of these films I am extreme excited to see at the film festival this weekend. The others all films I am absolutely dying to see.

Case in point, Mister Lonely which is the latest from Harmony Korine. I know his past work has been oddly appealing to say the least, however, this thing looks like his masterpiece. It looks extremely charming and a beautiful piece. It follows a group of impersonators who all live together at a commune in Scotland. It hits theatres in May in the US and this month in the UK (courtesy of Tartan Films). You can see that Korine has a love for international film with his casting of James Fox (of Performance fame) and Anita Pallenberg (also of Performance and countless other staples of 60s/70s world cinema).

Do yourself a favor and check out the trailer here.

Another great thing about IFC Films is their subdivision IFC First Take with films releasing limited in theatres simultaneously as they appear 'On Demand' through a satellite provider. As I have stated before, my brother has DirectTV and for the last year we have been purchasing films on their for only $6.99. Last night, we watched Paranoid Park, the latest from Gus Van Sant.




The thing is utterly fascinating. The cinematography is a beaut courtesy of my man Christopher Doyle and the film just really worked for me. Gus Van Sant decided on a very non-linear structure and the payoff was completely the right choice. With a linear structure to the plot it would have come off rather boring and unmoving but instead the opposite can be said about the film. A compelling little film from a director that continues to impressive me each and every film (except for the misstep Even Cowgirls Get the Blues years ago...everyone has forgot about that one anyways). When Paranoid Park comes around your way you need to make an effort to see it. It is worth your time and I have a feeling it will stick with me the rest of the year.

Finally IFC has just unveiled yet another subdivision entitled IFC Festival Direct. As far as I can determine through reading several articles is that it is very similar to IFC First Take, however, I believe it is films which may not have a chance to hit theatres and have already made their rounds at film festivals. Jar City is included in the first batch of films which also includes the latest from Ken Loach and Nicolas Roeg. It seems instead of hitting satellite providers such as DirectTV it instead aims for strictly cable providers such as Time Warner and Comcast.

I apologize in advance for the randomness of the following post. It will more than likely be a alot of rambling.

So you are probably wondering what I thought of the Oscars, right? Not bad, I suppose. While I have yet to see Michael Clayton, I must say I really wasn't pushing for Tilda Swinton to win, however her brilliant acceptance speech completely made up for my disappointment. I was really happy to see Marion Cotillard win and really wish I would have voted for her in my Oscar pool. She is a great actress which now I hope will be on a greater path of success (I always loved her in Big Fish and especially in A Very Long Engagement) and am really looking forward to her next two films (Michael Mann's Public Enemies and Nine, which get this - is a musical based on Fellini's 8 1/2). Sure I was abit disappointed that PTA didn't pull an upset for Best Director but the Coen brothers do deserve to get recognized. At least Daniel Day Lewis and Robert Elswit pulled through with wins. All in all not bad.

So I narrowed down my Cleveland International Film Festival schedule down to about 18 films with a solid 14-15 being definite. I am really excited actually. I have my media pass and my week off work and am ready to go. I hope to drag Chiaki along for a few however the most 3 films days make her tired just thinking about them. While we may have been exhausted last year I know she had a good time so lets cross our fingers.

I am slowly but surely building my high definition dvd collection. for my birthday I got The Lives of Others, Infernal Affairs, and Sukiyaki Western Django on Blu-ray and Zodiac: The Director's Cut (which looks utterly jaw dropping in hi-def) on HD-DVD. Then the other night I used some ebay gift cards to purchase Children of Men on HD-DVD and 3:10 to Yuma on Blu-ray. I am at the moment trying to get a good price on Volver on Blu-ray and might even pick up Into the Wild on HD-DVD this Tuesday...maybe. I wonder if I wait awhile longer I may get a cheaper price (when on the HD-DVDs begin to drop like flies in price). Today was supposed to be the first retail price drop for HD-DVD so we will see.

Chiaki and I sat down last night and watched the latest from Wong Kar Wai, his English language debut My Blueberry Nights. It is funny, the film has yet to be released stateside yet (though The Weinstien Company has finally set a New York/LA open for April) but the dvd release is available in Hong Kong already. Anyways, we really loved it. The criticism the film has received is pretty harsh in my opinion. What you get is an American style Chungking Express. To be honest, it was exactly what I was expecting from his first American film. While Norah Jones struggle abit at first with her acting, she seems to get the hang of it by the time the story shifts in location. As expected the supporting cast of Jude Law, Natalie Portman, David Strathairn and Rachel Weisz are a true pleasure to watch. Its really good stuff, honestly. I can't wait to watch it again. I think I am even going to write a lengthy review for KFC Cinema too.

So as promised I am back with yet another film review. This time courtesy of an amazing Australian company called Madman Entertainment. The fine folks at Madman were gracious enough to supply me with a copy of the Danish film Princess, which actually played at the Cleveland International Film Festival last year but I was not able to attend. So here it goes, I present to you my review of Princess.

I must admit. I am not really much of a fan of anime. Sure I dabble in the films of Pixar and seemed to get alot of enjoyment out of the work of Hayao Miyazaki but that is pretty much where I draw the line. Princess, however, interested the hell of me when I first read about it last year. For starters the story is just plain fucked up.

The title character is a drug abused young porn star named Christina (known in the adult film world as The Princess) who is now dead and has left behind her 5-year old daughter. Raised in a life of porn, Mia knows nothing else but what she watched take place in her mother's daily life. Her perception of what is right and wrong is just completely fubared. 32-year old August has just given up on his life as a priest in an desperate attempt to take care of his niece, Mia, he has just met for the first time.

What better to do than to avenge the death of his sister by taking out everyone person who had contributed to her rather short yet destructive life. What follows is a bloodbath of epic proportion which, at least as far as I know, has ever been captured in the history of animation.

What essentially is your basic revenge picture, takes on a whole new level when creating this overused genre into a whole new light thanks to the brillant animation found in the film. Another factor which sets this apart from others is its use of live action material to represent a window to the past. Each live action piece is used as a video capture of Christina before her death. Director Anders Morgenthanler brings us an amazing film which leaps boundaries above anything I have ever seen in the genre of animation. Sure, any anime freak may be left wanting more but as a admirer of international cinema I found Princess to be one hell of a ride and was truly in league of its own.

So how do you get your hands on this lovely piece of filmmaking, you say. Well, as I mentioned before, this great film can be purchased from a stellar company out of Australia entitled Madman Entertainment. Be for warned that the release is a Region 4 PAL disc so make sure your player is compatible before ordering.

Pick up Princess now by clicking here.

It seems a whole two weeks have gone by without a single post. Let us just face the facts...I am a slacker. Needless to say, I am hear and I am writing. Within two more weeks, the Cleveland International Film Festival will be upon us. Within days, I should be receiving my Media Pass and I have already planned out a weeks worth of film viewing. Somewhere between 15-20 films actually. So what do I have up my sleeve you ask.

Here is a breakdown:

Ben X - Belgium

Big Man Japan (aka Dai Nipponjin) - Japan

Blind - Netherlands

Dead Time - Indonesia

Deficit (Gael García Bernal's directorial debut) - Mexico

Flash Point - Hong Kong

Flight of the Red Balloon - France

Gone With the Woman - Norway

Jar City - Icelandic

Jellyfish - Israel

Love Songs (aka Les Chansons d Amour) - France

Mongol - Kazakhstan

Otis - United States

Priceless - France

The Substitute - Denmark

The Teeth of Love - China

Timecrimes - Spain

The Trap - Serbia

What We Do is Secret - United States

You, the Living - Sweden

Okay, so I guess that is alot. 20 to be exact. I may or not see all them though. Probably about a good 11 or so are definite. But I would really like to make it to all of the above. My sidekick from last year, Aaron H, is only catching a a few this year. A few other friends as well plan to see a handful. I hope to drag Chiaki along to a some too. If you would like to attend something let me know. You will be more than welcome to join me. As with last year, I will report back during the fest with a little feedback on the flicks. I can't freakin' wait.

So I sat down the other day and watched 3:10 to Yuma on Blu-Ray the other night. Damn, was it a beaut. There is always one will each year that I see after I make my Top 10 list and this is it. I will admit a guilty confession. I haven't seen Unforgiven. Yes, I own it on HD DVD (my first purchase on the format actually). And yes I admit I am a very big fan of spaghetti westerns. 3:10 to Yuma has been marketed as the best western since Unforgiven which I sorta of took offense to. Have these people not seen the brilliant The Proposition or The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada not to mention this years The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford and No Country for Old Men. But yeah, okay. As far as rough and tough cowboys, the film definitely fits the true feel of a western. 3:10 to Yuma is nothing short of brilliant. I absolutely loved everything about it. Crowe's performance even brought me back to liking him as an actor again (it has been a while....um....The Quick and the Dead was the last I believe). Ben Foster though steals the f'n show. Amazing. Add Foster to the list of actors robbed from this year's Oscar nominations.

So I will be back in a day or two with my reaction to this year's Academy Award winners along with a review of the fantastic film Princess which has recently been distributed by the fine folks at Madman Entertainment.

Finally the time has come. I squeezed in my last film I really wanted to catch from last year. Yes, there were a handful of films I would have liked to see before I made my list but lets face it - it is now February 5th and a Best of 2007 is long overdue.

I am going to start things off this year with the 'just missed' list. Those films I loved this year but just didn't quite make my Top 10. Films like Ratatouille, Grindhouse, Exiled, The Ten, Fay Grim, I Don't Want to Sleep Alone, Diggers, and The Aura were just a pleasure to watch. I thoroughly enjoyed the blockbuster Transformers too which is something I really wasn't expecting. Nothing, however, touched a nerve like these 10 films. So lets cut to the chase.

10. The Lives of Others

What can be said about this film, that I haven't stated already. Fantastic film.

9. Eastern Promises

I really wasn't a fan of David Cronenberg's early horror films but Eastern Promises and A History of Violence honestly changed all that. More of a slow burn piece than A History of Violence but equally as riveting. Viggo and Naomi are stellar throughout.

8. Invisible Waves

I really love this film. From the same crew that made the insanely memorable Last Life in the Universe. I actually saw the film orginially in 2006 but was able to catch it theatrcially at the Cleveland International Film Festival last year. Christopher Doyle's cinematography is graceful, Pen-Ek Ratanaruang's direction perfect, and Tadanobu Asano's actiing is as elegant as ever.

7. Dans Paris

Romain Duris and Louis Garrel are a true pleasure to watch. I just loved the French New Wave feel it had going for it. I am dying to see director Christophe Honore's musical follow up film, Les Chansons d'amour.

6. Big Bang Love, Juvenille A

Takashi Miike's experimental masterpiece. Hands down one of his best films, if not the best. An important film in contemporary cinema.

5. The Darjeeling Limited

Poor Wes Anderson. Chiaki and I thought this thing was darling. The critics thought otherwise. I am really looking forward to watching this one again once it hits dvd. Chiaki wanted to see it again in theaters and she never wants to see things twice theatrcially. I found it to be his best work since Rushmore. Oh and by the way Adrien Brody is so so Wes Anderson material.

4. Transylvania

Well, you already recently heard my rant on this film earlier so I won't repeat myself. I love everything about this film. Asia Argento most impressive performance.

3. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

This was the reason I had to wait for my list until now. I wanted to fit it in because I waited so long for this picture. Glad I did. The thing is a treasure to watch. I loved every little thing about it. Pitt, Rockwell, Affleck, Parker. Andrew Dominik could do no wrong with the film. Deakin's camerawork is just a beaut. Alot of complaints about the film has stated that it is just a bit too long. I beg to differ. Usually if a film has the feeling of being too long it is because the ending is a little too drawn out. However, with The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, the end seems like the final chapter of the story and honestly needed to be told. Matter of fact I love the ending.

Speaking of endings, my top two films have also been criticized by moviegoers because of their final scenes. I myself thought both had perfect and well-needed endings.

2. No Country for Old Men

What can you say about this film that hasn't already been said. Quite possibly the best thing that the Coen Brothers have ever done. Their most serious work since Miller's Crossing. May even be my favorite of the Coens right next to Barton Fink and The Big Lebowski but it is in a whole other league than those two pictures. I really think Josh Brolin should have been recognized for his work here. Amazing.

1. There Will Be Blood

Did you really think anything less. Man is this one a whopper. Nothing like anything PTA has ever attempted. This thing is a powerhouse. All the obvious influences are oh so true. Yes, it looks like early Malick. Yes, it seems like a staple of 70's American Cinema. And Yes, dammit, Daniel Day-Lewis delivers an iconic performance. Love Love Love this film. I just love how it takes awhile to seep into your brain. Not one person I know walked out of this film and could form an immediate opinion. That is what makes this so brilliant. I will be a bit sadden if PTA doesn't take home the Oscar for directing this puppy.

Okay so lots to talk about today. For starters I will break down my trip to Japan for you.

Things started off on December 27th when we made our way to the Cleveland International Airport to fly to Detroit then straight to Nagoya, Japan. Our flight to Detroit was quick and easy and even left us enough of a layover to grab a bite to eat. What else would you eat before head off two Japan for 16 days....er, Japanese. I know we should have had our last taste of American food but instead stopped into the only Japanese restruant in the rather large Detroit airport.

Arriving in Nagoya, Japan 13 hours later brought a bit of trouble. Apperently the Nagoya airport wasnt connected to the Nagoya train station which made it difficult as hell to simply jump on a train Himeji where Chiaki's parents were set to pick us up. Usually when flying to Japan we go to Osaka's airport which has its own train station and is only a hop skip and a jump to Himeji. Our choices instead were to take a long bus ride to the Nagoya station or take two seperate trains there. Matters became worse when we decided to take the two train route. Apperently their had been a accident (a death actually...suicide, perhaps) and the train did not move for over an hour. Finally afters hours of arriving in Nagoya we finally made it to Himeji at around 10:30 at night, gracefully greeted by my wonderful inlaws.

This years trip came with many pleasures. Meeting Chiaki's other brother Makoto(who Chiaki had seen in over 7 years), seeing Chiaki's best friend and her beatiful children all grown up, being introduced to Chiaki's other brother Shun's new girlfriend, hooking up with our good friend Miho in Hiroshima, and of course eating great food and shopping like crazy.

I will try to post some pictures on here very soon of both people we met and things we picked up while there. I was going to break the whole trip down for everyone but then realized as I began to write that this could take forever. I instead have decided to break down bits and pieces of the trip throughout my next few posts or so.

I will mention probably my favorite new place to visit was Nakano Broadway when we were in the great city of Tokyo for two days. Nakano Broadway is a geek's cluster of stores (also known as an otaku's wet dream) in a 4 floor shopping complex. While alot of the crazy and unique toys were a pleasure to view and take part in purchasing, my favorite store was a little poster store buried in the corner of the 2nd or 3rd floor. My new favorite place sold Japanese posters for ridcuously low prices, most as low as 1000 yen (between 8-10 US dollars). One of my several gems I found was this poster for a Meiko Kaji film, Wandering Ginza Butterfly 2 - The She Cat Gambler.

Or how about this killer Meiko Kaji 7 inch of her theme song from the series Female Convict Scorpion. Chiaki found this little treasure.

I know your jealous, aren't you. I love it and I have several others just as cool. I will try to put them online as soon as I can.

For now lets move on to another subject...the Academy Award nominations. You are probably wondering what I thought of them. Well, I happen to really like their choices this year. Anytime two of your favorite films of the year are up for most of the categories then I am pretty happy. This year's nods came with that very scenario with both No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood rounding out most of the categories. It will be a tough year I believe for the Oscar voters and I will be really happy if either take home the big awards. Two things that are certain are that of course Javier Bardem will take home Best Supporting Actor and Daniel Day-Lewis will bring home the Best Actor statue. While a few other categories such as Best Actress and Best Supporting Actess have clear front runners, nothing much else is for certain. I will be a bit sadden if at the end of the night Paul Thomas Anderson doesn't walk away with Best Director. The man deserves the damn thing. As always, I am also looking forward to the Best Foreign Film and Best Cinematography categories. Kazakhstan's selection Mongol happens to star Tadanobu Asano, one of my favorite actors working in international cinema today. All in all some good picks, though as with most years I believe a handful of people got snubbed recognition. Josh Brolin in No Country for Old Men was a revelation and I could honestly not picture anyone else in the role.

Alright well, I suppose that is all for now. I will be back in a day or two with more of a breakdown of our trip to Japan along with a possible film review. Also look for my Top 10 films of 2007 list to spring up by Tuesday or Wednesday.

So it has been over a month, I know. But I have an excuse. For the last 16 days, I have been in Japan visiting family. It was a blast and I even got a chance to finally meet Chiaki's other brother, Makoto, who is just one hell of a guy. I absolutely adore my Japanese family. More on my trip in the next week or so. I will try to post some pictures soon too.

For now I will start things off with a review of one of my favorite films of the year, Transylvania. An amazing amount of gratitude must be given to Canadian distributor Mongrel Media for releasing an English friendly dvd of the film and supplying me with a review copy of the film. I caught this film last March at the Cleveland International Film Festival and was floored and I have once again remained speechless upon second viewing of the film.

The film is a revelation, quite honestly. I must say, the only work of director Tony Gatlif I was even familiar with was his last effort Exiles which I had not seen prior to this film. I must say my main draw to the film was Asia Argento who I have always been a fan of and this time around she did not disappoint. Her performance in this film is, by far, her most mature and complex work I have ever seen from her. She is a sensation in this film. Naysayers of her work should really give this film a chance because, in my opinion, no one has ever seen her on this level before. Each film she does seems to outshine the next, however, it is really going to be hard to top this. Actor Birol Ünel brings one a hell of a performance to endure in this film.

The film is essentially a road movie with Argento's Zingarina in search of Milan Agustin a musician who in her mind is her one true love and the father of her unborn child. Milan (played by Marco Castoldi), however, wants nothing to do with her. Heartbroken and distant from everyone who care for her, she resorts to becoming an unlikely traveling companion with a drifter named Tchangalo (Birol Ünel).

Really, that's all you need to know. The chemistry or rather lack there of between Zingarina and Tchangalo is just a pleasure to watch. Director Gatlif, is less concern with structure in this film, which many critics have bashed him for, and instead relies on the companionship of the two leads. For me, this tactic really worked wonders. I am not the type of viewer who really needs closure and connection from A to B. If a film holds my attention with the performance and direction that is all I need, really. In that prospect Argento and Ünel drive this thing home for me. Along with Gatlif superb direction and some amazing cinematography from Céline Bozon, the film represents everything I need to make a film truly brilliant, which is the case with Transylvania. It is a true shame that this film has yet to be distributed in US. I actually have yet to find information on whether or no there even is an American distributor for the film. Please, do yourself a favor and get your hands on Mongrel Media's dvd release as soon as you can. You will not regret it.

You know what I would love to do one time or another? It's become the guy who chooses/supervises the cover art for dvd covers. I mean seriously, countless brilliant films have been ruined by horrible cover art. Isn't the cover supposed to be what draws you, the consumer, in. I mean what were they thinking with this:



That thing just hurts to look at. That has to be one of the lamest covers to a great film I have seen in a long time. Luckily some jewels come along from time to time and really come up with something truly special and quite easy on the eyes. Case in point this Bonnie and Clyde Ultimate Edition which streets in March 2008:

Even the High Def package is cool as hell:

The Ultimate Edition is set to have the following features:

Disc 1

• Teaser Trailer
• Theatrical Trailer

Disc 2

• The History Channel® Documentary – Love and Death: The Story of Bonnie and Clyde
  • (newsreel footage, period accounts, and interviews with biographers to bring the story of the notorious outlaws to life)
• Revolution! The Making of Bonnie and Clyde
  • Bonnie and Clyde’s Gang (The challenges of bringing together the right creative forces to adapt the true story into a glamorous tale)
  • The Reality and Myth of Bonnie and Clyde (Blending old and new Hollywood crews to bring about the style and look of a film which impacted more than just the fashion industry during the era)
  • Releasing Bonnie and Clyde (From production to the final edited cut, a look at the struggles and joys of making a film that became a worldwide phenomenon and an Oscar winner)
• Warren Beatty Wardrobe Tests
• Deleted Scenes
  • The Road to Mineloa
  • Outlaws

Thank the lord for the smart few that really know how to make a film appealing.

Speaking of film, it looks like the first of many year end awards were handed out yesterday this time around from the National Board of Reviews. Among the winners were:

Best Film: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
Best Director: TIM BURTON, Sweeney Todd
Best Actor: GEORGE CLOONEY, Michael Clayton
Best Actress: JULIE CHRISTIE, Away From Her
Best Supporting Actor: CASEY AFFLECK, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Best Supporting Actress: AMY RYAN, Gone Baby Gone
Best Foreign Film: THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY
Best Documentary: BODY OF WAR
Best Animated Feature: RATATOUILLE
Best Ensemble Cast: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN
Breakthrough Performance by an Actor: EMILE HIRSCH, Into The Wild
Breakthrough Performance by an Actress: ELLEN PAGE, Juno
Best Directorial Debut: BEN AFFLECK, Gone Baby Gone
Best Original Screenplay (tie): JUNO and LARS AND THE REAL GIRL
Best Adapted Screenplay: JOEL COEN and ETHAN COEN, No Country For Old Men

Top Ten Films:
(In alphabetical order)
THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD
ATONEMENT
THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM
THE BUCKET LIST
INTO THE WILD
JUNO
THE KITE RUNNER
LARS AND THE REAL GIRL
MICHAEL CLAYTON
SWEENEY TODD

Top Five Foreign Films:
(In alphabetical order)
4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS, 2 DAYS
THE BAND’S VISIT
THE COUNTERFEITERS
LA VIE EN ROSE
LUST, CAUTION

Top Independent Films
(In alphabetical order)
AWAY FROM HER
GREAT WORLD OF SOUND
HONEYDRIPPER
IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH
A MIGHT HEART
THE NAMESAKE
ONCE
THE SAVAGES
STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING
WAITRESS

Quite an interesting list, I must say. Great to see No Country for Old Men take home Best Film along with others and Mr. Burton as a surprising Best Director for Sweeney Todd. Biggest surprise for me though was the win for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford not to mention its position on the Top Ten Films of the Year list. The biggest disappointment for me though was that PTA's There Will Be Blood was nowhere to be found not even a recognition for Daniel Day Lewis. Here's hoping it makes every other list this year including the most important ones.

So as I write this I am missing the last performance I would ever see of Planes Mistaken For Stars, one of my favorite bands. It's a shame they will be no more. Gared, the lead singer, luckily has two other projects going on right now. One is called Hexes, which apparently a continuation of the direction PMFS was headed for (and also contains two PMFS band members) and the other is Hawks and Doves, an obvious homage to the Neil Young album title, and is I am assuming a much mellower Gared like that of the amazing last track, Penitence, from the Planes last record Mercy. Here's hope some of each projects tunes will hit the net in the not so distant future.

So on to film talk. I caught the latest from the Coen Brothers, No Country for Old Men, the other day and can safely say it will be fighting for the number one spot on my best of 2007 list. Unfortunately this list may not be completed until February 5th. Why you ask? Why that is the first time I will more than likely be able to catch my much hyped The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford. Yes, my dumb ass missed my chance to catch the flick around and now much wait for hit dvd.

In the next few weeks I hope to make a trip or two both Columbus and Cleveland to catch some flicks. What films, you say? Well, I hope to catch La Chinoise and Pierrot Le Fou both by Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Doulos, and Michelangelo Antonioni's Zabriskie Point. I own both of the Godard flicks and love them but how can you really pass up his flicks on the big screen. The other two films I have been dying to see for a long time. If nothing else I will make an effort to catch Zabriskie Point because I have passed it up about three time now and a widescreen copy on dvd is nearly non-existent (the film has never been released in the States on disc and only widescreen elsewhere).

So I guess the unthinkable happened. Well, okay lets not be so drastic. I will just come out and say it. I was too big on the new Takeshi Kitano film, Glory to the Filmmaker!. It's a shame really, cause I really loved his last 3 films, which have been very hit or miss with most people. Come to think of it there has been only one other Kitano film I was extremely disappointed with and that was his stab at American film, Brother. I love for his films started where most people's admiration had with his film Sonatine, which was released in Japan in in '93, but not until '98 in the US, courtesy of Quentin Tarantino defunct distribution label Rolling Thunder Pictures. Immediately after watching and loving the film ,I went on a search for his previous film and one of his most well known pictures, Hana-Bi also known as Fireworks. My personal favorite lies in his more quieter piece, Kikujiro, but I still had alot of love for is insanely abstract Takeshis'.

The latest, however, I just didn't get. The first half was pure Kitano genius to me. He represented a film full of filmmaking homages to some of the true greats of Japanese cinema and still managed to outdo himself. However, the second half just simply didn't seem to go nowhere. Maybe I need to give it more of a chance though, I just really which the rest of the film continued with the pattern he led it with. He instead ops for his comedy roots which don't always come out on the funny side. Oh, well. You win some you lose some, I guess. Nonetheless, I will be ready for what else he has in store in the future. What can I say, I love the guy.

Let's start things off with a nice little review of Eureka! Entertainment's Masters of Cinema release of the definitive version of the 1922 horror classic Nosferatu in a very satisfying 2-disc set.

Quite honestly, where do I start with this one. The thing is a true wonder. I am sure everyone is familiar with the story of Nosferatu but allow me to elaborate a bit. Countless interpretation of the writings of Bram Stoker have been representative on film but F.W. Murnau is the first and in the eyes of many, the best. The story follows just has many have over and over a man and his run in with a very un-human being who is not only out for his blood but also the blood of his loved one. Possibly one of the most terrifying performance of the great blood sucking vampire ever contained on film, Murnau's Nosferatu set the bar pretty high when he created this legendary film.

Now on to Eureka! Entertainment's release of the film. This thing is the most, and probably will stay the most, pristine transfer of the film ever released. For starters, the cover art is one of the coolest damn images I have ever seen gracing the front of a dvd box. The transfer and restoration of the film is in a whole other league all its own. A few US companies whom will remain nameless have attempted to do the film justice but have never reached this level of purity. The tinted print has been remastered to created, in my mind, hands down the best look of the film to ever see the light of day. This Masters of Cinema release even managed to not only add the original German intertitles (with English subtitles, of course), instead of newly created English language ones but they also were able to dig up the original Hans Erdmann score, which many release before it has instead chosen to reconstructed it by a more recent composer. The Erdmann original has not been heard for over 85 years until now.

Finally, there is the great extra features found on this disc. To start things off on disc 1 we are fortunate enough to have the pleasure of hearing silent film historian Dixon Smith along with film critic Brad Stevens talk exclusively about the film and silent films in general. Disc 2 sheds more light on the film with a the nearly hour long documentary The Language of Shadows which gives us even more information on the making of Nosferatu and the work of director F.W. Murnau. Finally the disc treats us to a mini restoration of this fantastic edition of the film. But that's not all, also found in the set is a 80 page booklet which is just a absolute pleasure to read after watching the film.

So what are you waiting for. Go and buy this baby right now. Where can I get this, you say? For your easy and comforted, I have listed a handful of links below:

HMV

Play

SendIt

All the online shops are highly reliable UK based sites.